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Colorado's Chicken Little spring

Gardening at Altitude

Carol O'Meara For the Camera

Posted:
04/18/2012 01:00:00 AM MDT

It isn't often that I find myself sympathizing with characters in fairy tales, but with the heat and dry weather, I believe Chicken Little was onto something. Oh, sure, those believing the cry of "the sky is falling!" were bird-brained, and yes, they ending up getting eaten by a fox, but aside from these minor details, I share the little chicken's penchant for freaking out. At least, as far as the garden goes.

Record heat is bringing out bug and bloom much earlier than ever this year, and an informal poll of colleagues and Colorado Master Gardeners has me considering a cry of "the drought is coming!" While no one can predict the weather months ahead of us, and we did have some moisture last week, if what is happening now is any indication, we have a long, hot, dry summer in store.

Take my Josephine clematis, in bloom months ahead of schedule. Or the hops vines stretching for support and iris bursting forth alongside tulips, lilac, and crabapples. Such abundance of color is intoxicating, but gardeners' enthusiasm is tempered by the specter of people wearing shorts far too early in the year. Forgive us if we return your cheerful comments of "what a beautiful day," with dire warnings of killing frosts and parched wastelands.

Lilac ash borers are emerging from tree trunks earlier than our state entomologist, Dr. Whitney Cranshaw, has ever heard of. But out of the ash tree trunks they come, looking for love on unseasonably warm days. The hallmark of their emergence is a gruesome calling card: their exoskeletons from the last molt, sticking half-in, half-out of the tree.

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If successful, the pairing can result in up to 400 eggs laid on the bark by a female in one week before she drops from exhaustion. It doesn't take long for the eggs to hatch and tunnel into the trunk, first feeding just under the bark, then moving deeper into the sapwood. The damage this borer can do is severe enough that, should you tree fall victim to it, a licensed tree care company should be called to help you treat the problem.

Dry conditions also promote clover mite problems. Clover mites are very small red and green mites, often concentrated in grass next to the foundation of a building. They are especially abundant in Colorado when winters are dry and warm, and they congregate on the south and west side of buildings. Mites will enter buildings during the winter months and, depending on weather conditions, will stay through early May. Freezing temperatures cause the mites to become dormant, but several generations are born during their active period.

Clover mites damage grass, turning it a silvery color. Once in a building, mites can spread to walls, curtains, furniture and carpet. Although they do not bite, transmit diseases or feed on household furnishings, they can be a nuisance and leave red stains when crushed on surfaces. Winter watering, especially on southwestern exposures, can alleviate mite problems.

Clover mites are a nuisance as they move into buildings, especially along the south and southwestern foundations of a home. To prevent clover mites from entering the home, leave an unplanted, 3-foot border around the building, and pour a barrier of either diatomaceous earth or baby powder around windows and doors. Make sure the barrier is at least one-quarter-inch wide and tall, to trap the mites and control them.

For lawns and landscapes, watch the weather closely and be judicious in watering. Check under mulch before watering to gauge soil moisture, then give the plants water in slow drinks, so that the moisture is pulled into the ground without runoff. Adjust watering schedules as temperatures climb, avoiding watering during rain or snowstorms.

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